Pre-service physical education teachers' occupational socialisation through the field experience

This paper is concerned with a qualitative study of how three pre-service physical education teachers who were comparatively less skilful in sports, socialised professionally in their first field experience. It was a part of the two-year study project investigating the occupational scoialisation of pre-service physical education teachers in the Hong Kong Institute of Education. With the interpretive paradigm as the conceptual framework, data concerning the professional conceptions, socialising strategies and perceptions on their socialising agents during their first field experience were collected through interviewing and writing of reflective journals. The findings demonstrated a particular socialisation process of this type of recruits. Interestingly, they were found shaping their early belief from "being liked by the pupils" to "being proficient in sports skills and instructional competence" as important requirements for PE teaching after the first field experience. The wash out effect of the field experience on the physical education teacher programme was particular significant on them. The findings provide information about how a particular group of recruits socialised professionally in their first field experience. In return, such implications can be facilitated positively in teacher education. Copyright © 2002 Department of Physical Education, Hong Kong Baptist University.